Daughter of a King

Part 6

London 1475

We left Middleham in May. The Countess and my brother Edward stayed at the castle, because his health was delicate and Lady Anne was worried he could have fallen ill during the trip to London.

The Queen sent a letter, inviting Lady Anne to stay in London while the King and his brothers were off to war. She wasn't very pleased, but she told me that she had to, she had to show her support to Queen Elizabeth.

It wasn't an easy trip for both. It took three days to arrive and Lady Anne had a baby in her belly so she had to stop quite a lot on the road.

"My Lady, will I see the Queen too?" I asked softly and she smiled sweetly.

"Of course, my dear, you will see the Queen and also your cousins."

I gasped with huge surprised. I forgot that I might had a lot of cousins. I didn't know how many, but I heard some gossips around the village where I lived and in Middleham and they said the King, when he was at court, never left his wife's bed. I always wondered what that meant, but I supposed it was about their children.

I knew of princess Elizabeth, I couldn't wait to meet her. I've heard a lot about her and I wanted to be her friend, aside of being her cousin.

I also knew Lady Anne had a sister named Isabel and she was married to my uncle George, Duke of Clarence, and I guessed they probably had children too.

"Sadly my sister's children won't come at court, they are too little" Lady Anne anticipated again my curiosity and I sighed, slightly disappointed.

When we arrived at court, we were immediately presented to the Queen.

"Lady Anne, it is a pleasure to have you here... and who is the young girl with you?" Queen Elizabeth greeted us and we raised from our deep curtsy.

"It is for me a pleasure, your majesty. She's my step daughter, Kathryn." Lady Anne answered, pulling me a little bit closer to her.

Queen Elizabeth narrowed a little her eyes and then smiled widely.

"Oh yes, she looks just as the Duke of Gloucester." She commented and I looked better at her.

She had golden blonde hair, held by gold ribbons. Her eyes were blue and her lashes were thick, like dragons.

"Elizabeth!" The Queen called her eldest daughter and the girl ran toward them. She made a curtsy to us and we did the same.

"Elizabeth, dear, why don't you show Kathryn around the castle? She's your cousin" She then asked kindly and her daughter smiled, she seemed excited.

Princess Elizabeth came to me and took my hand, "Oh, another cousin, I am so happy! Please, come with me" She said and I smiled too, nodding shyly.

We ran into the corridors of the castle and Elizabeth showed me every room I needed to see. We played with her dolls, I was so amazed by how many she had of them, and each was different from the other.

"If you want, you can have this one" She told me, pointing at the doll I had in my hands.

"I can't, Princess Elizabet-" I started to say. I couldn't accept the gift from the princess.

"Call me Elizabeth, we're cousin, after all" She smiled and I smiled back. "And Uncle Richard is my favorite, he is so kind to me and he is so brave, almost as my father." She said proudly of her own father.

She was right. I probably didn't know him as Elizabeth, and I saw him for little time, since he had business to attend here in London or in the North, but not at home. But I knew he was kind, because he was in those few days I could spend my time with him. I found myself feeling a little jealous of my cousin. Did he treated her as his own daughter? As she was me? All the gifts he could have given to me, instead he gave them to her?